Automobile lock



Oct. l1, 1932. w. 1 HAwKlNs 1,881,552

' AUT'oMoBgLE Loox Filed A ug. 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l fr d 441 ism- 24 57 Z4 4 if KM/Q4,

l '7 Y /QTTOQNEK Oct. ll, 1932. w. L.. HAwKlNs 1,881,552

AUTOMOBILE LOCK y Filed Aug. 20. 1928 2.Shees-Sheet 2 ZN VEN-raf? Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITED STATES PA'rENrV oEEIcE V/'ALTER L. HAWKINSOF ST. LOUIvMISSOURL ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

' Y FRANK C. WEBB, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI AUTOMOBILE Loox' Application filed August 20, 1928. Serial No. 300,799.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in automobile locks. My present invention has for its objecty the provision of an economically constructed, readily installed, compact, durable, and con# veniently actuatable device for efficiently locking both the ignition and transmission of the automobile so as toeffectively prevent unauthorized use thereof.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter dej scribed and pointed kout in the claims.

' f sheets) In the accompanying drawings (two Figure l is a fragmental elevation in outline of an automobile equipped with `a lock embodying my invention; Y

Figure 2 is a lbroken elevational view of the lock; v 'Y Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of the lock, taken' approximately on the lineV 3 3, Figure 2, the parts of the lock being shown in full lines in normal or transmis sion unlocking and ignition completing (unlocking) position; Figure 4 is a similar view of theV lock, taken approximately ny the line 4 4, 'Figure 3; j

Figures 5 andk6 are transverse sectional views of the lock taken, respectively, `on the lines 5 5 and 6 6, Figure 3; v

Figure 7 is a fragmental longitudinal sectional view of the lock;

Figure 8 is a transverse section taken'apvproximately on the line 8 8, Figure 7 Figure 9 is a transverse sectional View of the automobile transmission, taken approximately on the line 9 9, Figure 10;

Figure 10 is an elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of the autof mobile transmission; and

Figure ll is an enlarged sectional view taken lapproximately on -the `linefll `ll,

Figure e Y e Referring now more in detail andby refer-y ence characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, A designates an automobileof standard construction, which is equipped with a transmission B, generally also of standard con struction.v For present purposes, transmission B, which is of the sliding gear type, may be described as including a suitable casing l provided with a cap or dome 2, which closes the upper side ofthe casing l. Mounted in the casing l, are two fixed parallel `guides 3 and `4. Engageable for actuation with the several respective gears of the transmission, are forked arms 5, each provided with a head 6 through which the guides 3, 4, extend and upon which they are disposed Vfor slidable movement longitudinally. VThe heads or shifting members 6 are formed with adjacent flat sides, which are notchedV or cut-away, as at 7, to receive a head 8 upon the lower Vend, a shifting-lever 9, which latter extends upwardly through the upper end of the dome" 2.- `Normally, as `when the car isat a standstill, the lever 9 is in neutral position, with the arms 5 out of engaging relation with the transmission gears; however, as will be well understood, as the lever 9 is selectively shifted to one o1' the other of its respective positions, the gears of the transmission will be correspondingly1 shifted and the desired speed or reverse obtained.

Now, lsuch standard transmission B is equipped, as part of my invention, with a fixed sleeve or barrel l0 disposedfor the greater portion of its length intermediate the shifting-members 6, as best seen in Figure 9, barrel lOkat its'rear end l1 projecting eXteriorly the casing l, for purposes shortly appearing; and formed in barrel l0 adjacent its opposite or forward end are preferably diametrically f opposite registering apertures 12, l2, for accommodating a pair of locking dogs preferably in the form of balls or spheres 13,713, having respective seats, as at 14, 14, in the respective shifting members 6. Fitting for longitudinal movement in the barrel l0, is a suitably elongated plunger 15, which is disposed wholly rearwardly `orto one side of the dogs l'and is adapted for co-operation therewith at its forward, preferably pointed or conicalend 16. Suitably fixed within the sleeve or barrel l0 y the plunger 15 is yieldingly held orretained at its said projecting end 11, is an abutment cup' 17, Yandr suitably Xed on said end 1l of the sleeve 10, is a housing 18 having a longitudinal bore 19, With Which bore a through aperture 20 formed in the sleeve 10 and its housed cup .1,7 .permanently registers. The

plunger 1 5 is formed lat yits rear end lvvith a `reduced extension 21, coiled on which and abutting against the rim of cup 17 and ythe correspondingly shouldered .ndiace fr the ,body of plunger 15, as be'tsenin Figure@ is a spring 22, under the tension of which in normal 'engagement ,at its coniealend k1.6

fits'f aggregate ;len ;g t h v of `the plunger 15 and :its tail-.extension 21 is ,suclrthat, llvvhen the -15 A is in such inormaljengagement With-thedogs 1S, the extension@ registers -at ee', dapproximately*vviththe front yval V'said 'throughaperture-2Q. Normally, therefore,the-fplunger 15 is shiftable in the sleeve lQiagainst the'tension of fthe i-spring 22,

so thatjf as 'the-leverj9 is selectively shifted in oneor .the other dir etiongto correspondingly A'shift .one or y.the other `of fthe heads 6,

f 'one orthe l( jther vof the .,dogsflB-ispermitted ilifioreratn ,with fthe 100M-Galen@ 16 0f plunger 15, to.move inwardly offthe sleeve f 0l-.fedele.Qtseet '1.4.5 the-respective. head 6 beingghence :fr eefor shiftable'movement.y

Howeyenif an'dvvhen th'e plunger 15 is retainedagainst shi'ftable movement in the had? 10, *he-does. i3 wililbepmvened m andthe hea'ds -ivill consequently-be retained l tere@ against,shiltable/,nreyenientin any: attempted lat'i'onslof the shifting xlever. .9. ,',23de va suitably E elongated prefei-'fl ,y lrrel le'd shell .01 @Sina Suite ably Corlibrid 01? Otherwise permanently klinie' llvvhichatlits orvvardendfis acorinfg'ly shaped 1 enclosing ehellf member-'or section24. For purposes soon manine to appearthe shell 23andits conjoinedsec'- e-provided .with registering'lbayo- Y' @te pei fsilezzuifhlaurearsi@an additional yapertureY 2 6. .eircumferentially spaced'fromthe slots 25 .and vrholly concealed; i een, in 'Figures and 7. ffIeit'fmdiaeL-us the.. shell y'23 equippcdvvith suitable preferably .Qdia'met'rica'lly opposite 'electrical Y terminals 2.7, 2.7, ',vvhich. farei mounted in,- and insulated '.from, vthe Wall of the shell 23,. as

'en Jin LFigures, ,2, 3 ,and 5,:theft'er1ninals 2 '7 .eircurnferentially spaced ,interiorly ffthefshell 'by'iiie'd insulationpieces '5e and f 'dagineitfelectrically with the respecby 'the section '24, as best shell 23 at its rear end, is a plug 3l, suitably conjoined or otherwise permanently `lined to which is one end of a suitably elongated preferablyV armored flexible housing 32 enclosing and protecting throughout its Vlength a Hex'- ible tube 83, Whose oneend is Zfixedyas at 34,'

mthe pluglfasfbest -seen-in Figure 8. Conjoined or otherwise permanently fixed upon the other end of the housing 32, is a preferiably virligiitl etip fgflthiioughwhich ithe tube 38 elrtndsanlftoavhich the other end of the tube 33 isXed, as at 36, as best seen in Figv Disposed for slidable reciprocation in the 'sh'e'll`23 at 'its 'forward end, is a third tubular Stion V37 snugly atits 'forward endencirli'ng afcQrrespondingly 'shaped :lock-bleek 3,8, thellatteri being pinned Tor l.secured to the shilftable section ,37 as byv means .of ka soreW pressed-bolt 4.4:'disposedgtransversely o :the shell 23,.aslbest seen'in Eigure's 21,16, 7, `and 8,- a'nd 'retained operatively. yin cooperation with .the ,pin 4:2 as .bygmeans of @a suitably formed insulation' block 45 -iifiredyas bymeans of a crosslpin 55 to, and Qsed .in fthe .rear

lendl o f,.the shitablesecton 37 l Y Sultably fixed at one. end, as at 46, 46, to

' andfuponft-he .rear itacezof :bloclrll and `vrearwardly-fprojefting 'longitudinally '.,Withinthe shell23.,are. suitably spaced somewhat spring C'ontaetfingers '417, 47, 'andal'so [attached `at onelerd, 'as at 48, .togftheibloclr 45,#is al prefer# ably 'o'ntinuous yred 'or' shaft 149 preferably at `its free end,projecting outwardly ,romzthe '35 'andlfplnanently -Carryingfatransmis? s'ionlengagingfpini). l .Abutting `Within shell 213 .against the rear- Ward ,margin .of ,the terminals 27, is .a coiled .longitudinally Vconstructed of ieXible -Wire of suitable cross'- section, 'which eztends spring `5,1 adapted rto,y ieldingly fretain the section 37 and its attached 'lock-cylinder 40,

bolt 4111, contactiingers T47, :and red "4 9 and itsfcarril pin f5() linfferwardly projected or I lofflfinal Vvposition relatively VIto fthe ifshe'll 23for in the relative :positions thereo'illustrated ablyinounted -and J'lifted in "the instrumentv board 5,6of theautomomble.A, andvth'efhous- "di-Spese fue .up-ietwat@ ehem-geene@ fixed jhus'lng 18 provided .on thetransmisin '32`suitablyffiexed [and manipulated 'to sion B, to which housing 18 said tip 35 is secured as by means of a screw 52, all as best seen in Figures l, 9, 10, and 1l.

Projecting radially from the lock-carrying section 37, is a suitable pin 53, which lits and works in the registering bayonet-slots for limiting both the endwise or longitudinal and rotatory movements of the tubular-section 37 and its attached parts.

Now, it will be seen that,-when the lockcarrying shiftable section 37 is in its said normal position and thepin 53 disposed at the forward end of the longitudinal portion of the slots 25, the bolt 44 is retracted and out of registering relation with the aperture 26,

the contact-'lingers 47 are in electrical engagement with the terminals 27, and the locking-pin 5() is retracted from and out of the aperture 20. Consequently, the ignition circuit of the automobile is complete, the shifting-members 6 may becactuated vto the desired mobile may be driven. However, a key 4l being now in the cylinder and the cylinder 40 and its attached embracing shiftable section 37 being forced rearwardly against the tension of spring 5l, the bolt 44 will be shifted into registering relation with the slot 26.

" the contact-fingers 47 willbe shifted out of 'electrical engagement with the terminals 27 and into engagement with the insulation ring ,30, and the pin will be shifted to reside in said aperture 20 and thereby retain the plunger l5 against actuation.:A On key 41 being now manipulated to rotatably actuate the barrel40 and its pin 42, the bolt 44 will be shifted to lit and Vengage at an end in the 'slot 26, and the several-parts thus locked in their described so-called abnormal position, when the transmission B can not -be manipulated andco-incidentally the ignition circuit of the car is broken.

I may` add that the lock-cylinder 40 is of Y such standard type that the key 4l can only be removed when the bolt 44 is in its said abnorlmal position, in locking engagement with the fixed rigid shell or casing 23, and that further, when the. lock-carrying section 37 is an abnormal or locking position,` the forward or exposed face of the lock-block 38 is approximately liush with the forward end of theshell 23, the securing-screw 39 being then wholly concealed and inaccessible.

Frequently, however, a car operator, Von making, for example, a short stop, desires merely to turn olf the ignition, without locking-his car. The parts being in unlocked or normal position, this is readily accomplished byV axially turning the section 37 through approximately fifty degrees, permitted by the transverse or circumferential portion of the slot-s 25, which movement correspondingly shifts the contact-fingers 47 from the terminals 27 and on to the intermediate insulation pieces 54, the ignition beingagain comgear-engaging position, andthe auto-- pleted on reverse rotatory actuation of the section 37.

Thus I provide an automobile lock of socalled co-incidental type, which meets all requirements, and which fully accomplishes the objects stated.

It is to be understood that changes in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my new lock may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an automobile lock, in combination, transmission gear shifting members, dogs normally having seated engagement with said members for releasably retaining the same against movement, a fixed sleeve having a diametrically disposed aperture, a plunger shiftable in the sleeve and normally having spring-pressed engagement at an end with the dogs for releasably retaining the same in seated engagement with said members, and means including a shiftable pin adapted for projection into said aperture for engagement with the plunger for retaining the same against movement in engagement with the dogs` 2. In an automobile lock, in combination, transmission gear shifting members, dogs normally having seated engagement with said members for releasably retaining the same against movement, a fixed sleeve having a diametrically disposed aperture, a plunger shiftable in the sleeve, a spring within the sleeve for retaining the plunger yieldingly in engagement with the dogs for retaining the same in their seats, and means including a shiftable pin adapted for projection into said aperture for engagement with the plunger for retaining the same against movement in engagement with the do s.

3. In an automobile lock, in combination, transmission gear shifting members, dogs normally having seated engagement with said members for releasably retaining the same against movement, a fixed sleeve having a diametrically disposed aperture, a plunger shiftable in the sleeve, an abutment in the sleeve, a reduced extension on the plunger, a spring coiled on said extension and having abutting relation with the plunger and with said abutment for yieldingly retaining the plunger in engagement with the dogs, and means including a shiftable pin adapted for projection into said aperture for engagement with the plunger for retaining the same against movement in engagement with the dogs.

In testimony whereof, name to this specification.

f WALTER L. HAWKINS.

I have signed my 

